Method of sinking posts



J. c. HAGGART, JR 2,282,049

METHOD OF May 5, 1942.

SINKING POSTS Filed Oct. 26, 1939 j [06w (3 I/AGQARI; Y7

ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1942 METHOD OF SINKING POSTS John C. Haggart, J12, Westfield, N. J., assignor to Signal Service Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application October 26, 1939, Serial No. 301,431

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a method of sinking posts into the ground, particularly posts used on highways for the guidance of automobilists.

The invention has for its object a method of driving posts, having anchoring spurs thereon, into the ground without damage to the posts or to any devices carried thereby, such as light reflecting units.

Heretofore the methods employed for the purpose described herein have been slow and ineflicient in that the pounding of the posts by blows on their upper ends either damaged the light reflecting units, or required that the units be removed before driving the posts. But even with the light reflecting units removed, the ends of the posts were usually bent and deformed.

When driving posts with anchor spurs attached thereto, blows were applied to the spurs until the top edges thereof were level with the ground.

However, in this position relative to the surface of the ground, little anchoring effect was exerted by the spurs and the posts had to be driven by blows on the top of the posts to' their final positions.

By the present method, the driving of the posts may be done with great economy as the reflecting units and the posts may be assembled at the factory and there is not the danger of injuring the reflecting units or the posts during the driving.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing a post being driven into the ground;

Fig. 2 is an elevation similar to Fig. l, rotated 90 degrees to the left, certain parts being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the implement engaging the spurred part of the post and adapted to receive the impact of the driver;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the implement aforesaid.

Referring to the various views, the post I comprises an angle iron or bar having at its upper portion 2, which is flat, reflector buttons 3, 3. Near the lower end of the post are riveted angled spur plates 4. Adapted to be imposed upon the upper edges of said spurs and to embrace said post is an implement or casting 5 having a diametrically enlarged head 6 and formed with an angled extension I.

This extension I and the head 6 have a channel 9 cut or cast therein, which permits the implement to be moved laterally to embrace the post. The inner surfaces Illa and lb of the channel fit against the outside walls and edges of the post I. The aligning fingers 8, engaging the inside walls of the spurs 4, hold the lower end of the member 5 in operative position on the spur plates.

The member 5 is extended to a distance equal to the depth of the top of the spurs below the surface of the ground when the post is in its anchored position. The sides of the extension converge to approximately the thickness of the spur and are wedge shaped, to facilitate their entry into the ground as well as to facilitate the withdrawing of the member 5 when the post has reached its anchored position.

To apply the driving force to the implement 5 there is provided a tubular driver I I, whose inside diameter is such that it will clear the edges or sides of the post and also any device carried at the top thereof. Handles I2, 12 are provided to grasp the driver. The inside diameter and the outside diameter of the driver are such that the lower end of the driver has a surface common with the head of member 5 when the driver contacts the member 5.

The method of operation is as follows: The post is held upright in the desired location; the impact member 5, held in a vertical position, is moved laterally to embrace the post and is then moved down until its lower edges and fingers engage the spurs. The driver is then slipped over the top of the post and is brought down forcibly on the impact member, thus driving the post into the ground. When the post has reached its anchored position, the driver is removed from the post. The impact member is then raised from the ground and removed laterally from the post. The hole left around the post, when the impact member is removed, is then filled with concrete or other material.

I claim:

The method of driving a post having anchoring spurs near its lower end into the ground until the anchoring spurs are completely buried, comprising disposing an elongated ground penetrating impact member loosely upon the post in axial alignment therewith with its lower end in contact with the upper surface of the spurs, driving the impact member into the ground until it has forced the spurs and post down to anchoring position, and then withdrawing the impact member from the ground and removing it from the post.

JOHN C. HAGGART, JR. 

